Chapter 62: The Darkness of the Past

The cabin where they were held was cold and grim, surrounded by a forest so dense that any scream would be trapped among the trees. Amelia was chained to a chair, her wrists aching from the cuffs. Across from her, Miranda paced with a triumphant smile, while Edward, also restrained, sat tied in a corner, his gaze fixed on the floor.

—I always knew you were naive, Amelia —Miranda began, her tone full of disdain—. But I never thought you’d be foolish enough to trust me after everything. Did you really believe it was all forgotten?

Amelia lifted her head, trying to stay calm despite the fear gnawing at her.

—Miranda, why are you doing this? —she asked, her voice trembling slightly—. I don’t understand... I treated you like family.

Miranda let out a bitter laugh, stopping in front of her.

—Family? —she repeated mockingly—. You destroyed my real family. Everything changed the moment you came into my father’s life.

Edward raised his head, his eyes fixed on Miranda.

—What are you talking about? —he asked firmly—. Amelia didn’t destroy anything. You’ve always looked for a reason to hate her.

Miranda turned toward him, her expression shifting to a mix of fury and resentment.

—You don’t understand anything, Dad! —she exclaimed, her words dripping with venom—. From the moment you chose her, you stopped being my father. You stopped caring about me, about my mother. You forgot about us like we never existed.

Edward closed his eyes, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.

—Miranda, that’s not true —he replied calmly, though his voice carried a tinge of sadness—. I always cared about you. But your mother and I… we weren’t happy anymore.

Miranda clenched her fists, fighting back the tears threatening to fall.

—And you think that justifies abandoning me? —she asked bitterly—. Do you know what it feels like to be replaced? To watch you create a new family while I was left behind?

Amelia watched the scene with a heavy heart.

—Miranda, I’m sorry if I made you feel that way —she said sincerely—. But this doesn’t justify what you’re doing. Isabella... she’s your sister!

—Don’t call her that! —Miranda yelled, stepping closer to Amelia—. Isabella is not my sister. She’s living proof of how you ruined my life.

Edward, despite being tied up, raised his voice with authority.

—Miranda, listen to me. None of this makes sense. If you hate me so much, why haven’t you ended this? Why keep us here?

Miranda looked at him, her eyes full of rage, but also something else: pain.

—Because I want you to suffer —she confessed, her voice cracking slightly—. I want you to know what it feels like to lose everything.

The cabin door suddenly opened, letting in a gust of cold air. It was Caleb, Miranda’s lover and accomplice in all of this.

—Am I interrupting? —he asked with a mocking smile as he closed the door behind him.

Miranda turned toward him, her expression softening.

—You’re just in time —she said, walking toward him confidently—. Things here are getting... interesting.

Caleb glanced at Amelia and Edward, his gaze cold and calculating.

—What’s the plan now? —he asked Miranda.

—Stay one step ahead —she replied firmly—. Isabella still doesn’t know the truth. She believes she lost her parents in that accident, but it was easier than I expected to fool her.

Amelia frowned, confusion mixing with fear.

—What do you mean? —she asked, her heart racing.

Miranda smiled, leaning toward her.

—Her memory loss was a gift from heaven. She doesn’t even remember that you’re alive.

—What about the doctors? —Edward interjected, his tone defiant—. They know the truth.

Caleb chuckled, shaking his head.

—I already took care of them. There’s no one left to challenge our story.

Amelia felt a knot in her stomach.

—Why are you doing this? Isabella is your family.

—No. Isabella is the replacement —Miranda responded, her voice filled with resentment—. But don’t worry, Mom. This is just the beginning.

The clock kept ticking, each second bringing Isabella and Alexander closer to the truth. But would they arrive in time to stop the tragedy Miranda had set in motion?